OTC chancellor invited to federal science summit

Missouri community colleges will have a strong advocate at the State-Federal STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Summit in Washington D.C. June 25-26. Ozarks Technical Community College Chancellor Hal Higdon will attend the summit hosted by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

According to the invitation letter from Jeff Weld, the senior policy advisor and assistant director of STEM education for the Office of Science and Technology policy, the summit will “engage state leaders on federal STEM education plans and the best use of STEM education resources for states to scale successful STEM programs.” The summit will include more than 150 like-minded education professionals from across the country focusing on federal support for STEM education and activities.

Dr. Higdon is the longest-tenured community college chancellor in Missouri. He began his career at OTC in July of 2006. During his tenure, the college has added more than 10 STEM-related programs, including aviation, registered nursing and electrical distribution systems.

This past school year, OTC was one of just eight community colleges in the country to earn the inaugural Siemens-Aspen Community College STEM Award. The OTC Dental Hygiene program was recognized by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program for providing outstanding preparation for high-demand jobs.

“I am honored to attend this important meeting,” Dr. Higdon said. “I look forward to advocating on behalf of Missouri’s community colleges as I convey the importance of career and technical education to my fellow attendees.”

The National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Department of Labor, and the Smithsonian Institution are supporting the summit in conjunction with the Office of Science and Technology Policy.